Shooting Star
by pickalily
Summary: Roaming the galaxy, the star Koriand'r finds herself falling in love with the beautiful world of earth - as well as the handsome prince who lives there. But in order to sustain her human form, Koriand'r must receive love from the human prince. Fairytale AU.
1. Once Upon a Time

**A/N:** The Little Mermaid AU that everyone was waiting for! Or at least just me. Influenced by Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid. I'll also be referring to Starfire as Koriand'r but she'll eventually be called Starfire as the story goes on. I'm not sure if I'll ever have Blackfire be called anything other than Komand'r in this fic but we'll see.

 **WARNING:** As in the original, there is going to be a death towards the end.

* * *

 _"A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really…"Do the stars gaze back? Now that's a question."_

 _-Stardust (2007)_

* * *

Every night a star is born. As the universe expands, the stars multiply, filling up the many dark, empty spaces in the sky right at the edge of the universe. On one particular night, when the earth began to thaw and it's own star had grown quite a bit from warming it up from what the humans called the "Ice Age," a special star was born. Her name was Koriand'r.

Koriand'r, what roughly translates to the human language as "Starfire," was precocious, curious star. She was one of the first stars to wander about the universe by herself naturally, leaving pink streaks in the sky wherever she traveled. Most stars didn't begin wandering until decades after their formation. Koriand'r's own sister, Komand'r, didn't roam about until she was about half a century old and only then it was only the span of a few light years at a time. Though Komand'r was the eldest, it was expected that Koriand'r would rule the galaxy because of her never-ending desire to explore the galaxy. Koriand'r always assured her older sister that she had no wish to rule space, only roam it. Komand'r would only give her a glittery smile in response.

If there was any place that Koriand'r liked to explore, it was the planet Earth. The earth, though only a few thousand years old, was teeming with life. Koriand'r had never seen anything like it. Venus was too hot and the only living things around there were unfriendly reptilian-like creatures that used the heat to warm their cold-blooded hearts. The sea mermaids living in the lakes of Jupiter were not much for conversation and the poisonous air that filled their lungs seemed to seep into their personalities as well. Earth was so gentle and pleasant in comparison. The plants, the sea, the _people_ were unlike Koriand'r had ever seen in her life.

She visited every couple of years with the help of earth's sky witch Raven, who would turn her into a harmless firefly, and allow herself to fly about and observe all of the humans go about their daily life. She was curious about their silly fashion trends, which changed so frequently. The people, she noticed, had such short life spans compared to the star people. She could visit one day and the next time she came there would be whole new generations of people that looked the same but were definitely different! How strange.

"Live there?" her sister repeated when Koriand'r first spoke of her desire out loud. "Why would you want to live there? This is your home. Your family, your brother and I, we are here. What is there for you?"

The star stared wistfully at the beautiful planet, its vast oceans and beautiful green plains. "There is so much there, sister. You should come visit with me sometime. It is very wonderful. The people, they are so amusing!"

Komand'r nodded but Koriand'r knew that her sister didn't understand. No one really understood. Everyone else laughed when she mentioned how pretty the human world was but at least her sister would listen politely. She didn't dare mention it to the rest of her family though. The one time she did her parents looked so shocked she was afraid they would burn out early. Aside from her sister, the one person she fully trusted with her earthly desires was the Sky Witch Raven, a magical being that lived in the clouds of earth and, Koriand'r believed, the kindest person in all of space and time.

…

"Does anyone know that you have such an…intimate relationship with earth and its beings?" Raven asked her one night when Koriand'r came down for another visit.

The star giggled, sparks springing from her hair. "No, I think it would be most appalling to them if I ever revealed it," she confessed. Though she should have felt guilty, the only thing the star felt was giddy.

The witch looked concerned. "It's dangerous for you to keep going out there even if you only visit every once in a while. The form I give you, Koriand'r, it is very delicate," Raven said seriously.

Koriand'r only laughed. "A firefly, they call it? But I love it so! It is so light and beautiful. It's like an earthly form of a star in miniature, is it not? Though if you're so displeased with the fragile form, why don't you just give me a human body?" She was joking, of course. At least part of her was.

Raven's eyes darkened and Koriand'r immediately regretted her words. "Because, Koriand'r, the process of being a human isn't just risky, it's painful. Even if I were able to give you the body you wanted, the price you'd have to pay would be too much."

The stars eyes glittered as she stared defiantly back at the witch. "How do you know that I am not willing to pay that price? Perhaps I love earth so much that I am willing to pay however much it takes to become a human."

The sorceress opened her mouth only to shut it once no words came out. Her eyes were shining brightly and Koriand'r could have sworn that Raven's eyes were glazing over with tears, but then again it could have been just Koriand'r's light shining brilliantly in the witch's eyes. "Are you going to visit then?" she asked the star. Her voice was cold, bitter. It was like she wanted to slice through Koriand'r.

Koriand'r was hesitant and frightened. Yes, she had waited desperately as she always did for another trip to earth, but her friend's face scared here. "No," she said slowly. Her flame burned a little less vibrantly now. "I think I shall stay here with you for now. Earth can wait."

Instead of looking pleased, however, Raven just looked angry. No, the star decided after a while. The expression on the sorceress' face was one of grief. Koriand'r debated about whether or not to ask her friend if she would like to share her feelings but thought better of it. She had done enough to upset her friend for today. She resolved to at least make the rest of her time with the Sky Witch enjoyable for the sake of her dear friend. It was the least she could do to thank Raven for even allowing her to visit earth in the first place. Still, she couldn't help but think about what the witch had said earlier. There was a way for Koriand'r to become a human and she was determined to find out what it was if it was the last thing she did.

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 **A/N:** Next up, meeting the Boy Wonder.


	2. Falling Star

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."

-William Shakespeare

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It took a couple more visits before Koriand'r felt truly comfortable with asking the Sky Witch for permission to visit earth again. The star shook anxiously, quivering before her dear friend. "I have a wish, friend Raven," the star said one night, feeble flames flickering around her. "Might I return to earth? It has been so long since I have seen the human world."

Surprisingly, the witch only looked at her, face unreadable, and said, "Okay." She seemed like her old self again and Koriand'r was glad. She was even mores so because she could see the beloved planet of earth once more.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" she cried. In her excitement, the star emitted bursts of bright light that temporarily engulfed the witch.

The Sky Witch smiled in spite of herself. A ghost of a smile danced on her lips. Still, Koriand'r couldn't help but feel that there was something sad about the way her friend said, "Let's go then, Star."

…

It was every bit as beautiful as she remembered if not more. The sky was the same brilliant shade of dark blue. If she looked closely she could see all of the star people glitter brightly against the night sky. The moon shimmered like a silver orb high up above, its brilliant shine reflected in the dark waters below. The star, now in her insect form, flitted excited above the surface of the water, laughing at the distressed caws of the black bird above her. _It's fine, it's fine_ , the star thought, her light blinking ecstatically. Oh, she loved all of this.

Perhaps her favorite part of earth visits was the glimpses she caught of the actual people. She loved peering into windows, watching families together. Stars were never that close. Once a star was born, they normally made their way around the universe on their own, conversing with their family every once in a light year or two. While Koriand'r's family was more intact because of their royal status, it was still lonely. Koriand'r loved her family but at the same time she wished that they could be as intimate as these human families, where the children laughed and play together. She couldn't remember the last time she was in the same vicinity as her entire family.

"Not too close," Raven squawked whenever Koriand'r flitted too close to a human or observed a household through the window too long. The Sky Witch's form, an inky black bird with beady red eyes, always made the star want to giggle. It was mysterious-looking with a dark aura that matched her friend's true form. Still, that shrill cry instead of her friend's normal, brooding voice was so…mismatching.

Koriand'r would immediately glide away, flapping her little wings rapidly. The feeling of the air against her face was exhilarating. _I'm going to stay,_ she thought to herself one night. _I'm going to ask Raven to make me human and I will live the rest of my days here._

…

"Why do you love it so much?" Komand'r interrupted her one night when she was excitedly babbling about what she had seen one night. It was a little anecdote about a few puppies she had seen just moments ago, so small and fluffy, and one had chased her all about the alley! Raven had shouted at her when they got back for being careless but Koriand'r saw no harm. The puppy had only wanted to play with her after all and wished her no harm.

Koriand'r hesitated before speaking. "I suppose I love the colors," she responded.

"We have colors here," Komand'r pointed out, twirling around and emitting her own set of purple sparks crackle about her.

"It's different." Koriand'r thought of the vast darkness of space, how the only color that she ever came upon was either from another star or just the light of the sun hitting the surface of a planet. Other than that, the galaxy was so bleak. "On earth, there are so many different hues and shades and that's only what I see at _night_ , Komand'r. Raven says that in the daytime, the colors are even brighter and more numerous! And I…Well, I'd love to see them. Komand'r, I think I could live on earth forever if I could just live surrounded by such beautiful colors all of the time." She looked wistfully at earth. Even from this distance she could see how wonderful it was, the swirling white clouds above the clear blue waters and the many green grasses that covered the land.

Her sister didn't respond for a while. "This Sky Witch, she said she could turn you into a human?"

Koriand'r shimmered excitedly at the thought. "Oh, yes! She said it was indeed possible!" She had not forgotten the ominous warning the witch had given her about the transformation but she had decided already that, when the time came, she would do anything to acquire that human form.

"But would you really turn into a human?" Komand'r said doubtfully. "The witch said it was dangerous, did she not? Would it not be better to just remain as you are now? It would ensure your safety, no?"

"You would never understand, Komand'r," Koriand'r replied, "because you have never witnessed the world of the humans as I have. It is so truly marvelous and wondrous. Once you have seen it, you would understand everything I have fallen in love with and why I would do anything to live there as a human. The humans, the places, the _colors_ , Komand'r, are beyond anything in your wildest imaginations."

The other star floated next to Koriand'r, still doubting her every word. Koriand'r did not feel any anger at her, however. It was just too hard to explain the wonders of earth without witnessing it by oneself. "Why take such a huge risk just to become human? The way the Sky Witch described it…it does not seem like the transformation is guaranteed."

Koriand'r let out a sigh. "I never would have know the beauty of earth had I not taken the risk to explore it in the first place. Should I give up my dream of human because I am scared?" she laughed bitterly. "No, I would rather die knowing I tried to achieve my dream than just wander about the galaxy in this dark, cold expanse."

Komand'r was quiet. "You realize that if you go through with this that the power to rule the galaxy will fall to me, do you not?"

She only laughed and replied, "Komand'r, the throne was never my desire. You may have it. This dreary space is not something I wish to rule anyway."

"So are you really going to go through with this?"

"My dear sister," Koriand'r said seriously, "I have never wanted anything more in my life."

"Do you know when?" her sister asked curiously.

Koriand'r shrugged, sparkling happily. "Not now, but I'll know when the time comes."

…

The time came one fateful night when the moon was a gleaming silver crescent in the sky. Despite the fog that gloomy night, the moon was still able to shine brightly through. That was another thing she loved about the earth. Its diverse weather patterns had no equivalent in space. Raven had also mentioned that there was also something called rain on earth, where droplets of water would sprinkle down from the sky. Koriand'r had always wanted to experience rain but the last time she had expressed this wish to her friend the Sky Witch had looked so horrified that the star remembered to keep such desires silent. Raven had later calmed down long enough to explain that even in firefly form, the star's form was not fully transformed, and the rain would be enough to extinguish her fire. This memory made Koriand'r flap her wings harder. When she became a full fledge human, she would no longer have to worry about her flame going out.

She had managed to fly far enough away from the watchful eye of the raven. She'd only done so a couple of times before and was always pleased when she was able to avoid her friend's careful surveillance, an impressive feat considering how good the bird's eyesight was. Sure, she was a young star but she could take care of herself! Besides, she's been on earth plenty of times before.

The star reached an expansive field at the top of the cliff. The fog was still rather thick but she didn't mind it at all. _This was probably what flying through a cloud was like,_ she thought as she felt the cold against her body. It made her wings tingle with delight. The fog made her light seem to shine even brighter. She was a luminous orb, shining rays down on the dew dropped grass and making them glitter.

She almost saw him too late, the boy wandering alone on the cliff by himself. Koriand'r nearly crashed into him but was able to flutter pass him. She saw him turn his head to look at her curiously and this made her flush. Her light blinked its usual starry-pink glow and she had to remember to calm down so she could return to the normal yellow light of a firefly.

He was wandering alone on the cliff. What a dangerous past time for a child. He must have been confident in his knowledge about the cliff if he was walking around by himself in the dark. Still, it was dark and dangerous and the fog was obscuring anything that was only a few feet away from view. She watched his silhouette stray on the grassy plain. He seemed to be seeking the edge, treading carefully and looking down at his feet a lot. Still…

She saw the edge. He was teetering too close, she thought. The fog was so thick now that no normal human being could see anything. He took a step too close to the edge and she heard part of the cliff break off. _No, no, no,_ she thought. _You cannot die. You have barely lived. You have not yet experienced the beauty that is earth._ The star flew up in front of the boy, a couple of feet away from his face, and lit up like a miniature star. Her rays extended from her to the boy and he could see how perilously close he was to falling. She was happy when she saw him stand back and she let herself get dimmer. He was safe now.

She flitted back toward him, hoping to get past him and back to her friend Raven. What things she had to tell her! This was probably the closest she had ever gotten to a human and she had practically saved his life! Why -

Black. Total absolute darkness like one of those dreaded black holes that stars had always been told to stay away from lest they wanted to be sucked in and have their light source depleted. It was the one thing that frightened Koriand'r beyond belief and now she was here. So this was death. _At least,_ she thought, _I got to die in a place I loved._

A crack opened above her and she saw a big, blue eye blinked down on her. It was the exact same color she always thought the sky would be. The crack opened more and she could see the boy's entire face. Previously she had only caught a glimpse of it but now she could observe it more freely. He had pale skin and such dark hair. His hair was an inky black, not like Raven's feathers but more like the darkness of the galaxy she was so used to gliding around in. She had been caught in this beautiful boy's grasps and for a second she thought about how warm his hands were.

"Hello, firefly. You saved my life, didn't you?" It wasn't a question. He stated it as a fact. He was still growing, on the cusp of adulthood, like when stars were first beginning to receive their first bright glows. He smiled at her and she saw him light up like a star. Perhaps humans and stars weren't all that different. "You're beautiful."

 _You're beautiful,_ she thought and it wasn't until the boy had gasped, letting her go free, when she had realized that she was returning to her original pink glow. She recollected her senses, brushing the boy's compliment aside, and went back to the yellow light of a firefly.

"Thank you," he whispered to her.

And as she flew away, that's when she knew it was the right time.

…

Koriand'r flew hurriedly to her friend's abode, barging in without any greetings. "Raven! Tonight is the night! You must change me! Make me a human!"

The Sky Witch twirled around, her cloak swishing about her. A dark aura began to collect around Raven, black tentacles creeping from under her dark blue cloak. Her eyes glowed a dangerous red. "Make you a human?" she growled, but it wasn't her voice. It was a million monstrous voices, voices that Koriand'r had never heard before. She'd never seen her friend this angry before. "Koriand'r do you even realize what you're asking of me? Do you know what you're doing?"

Koriand'r didn't sway. "I am asking you to make me a human. You can help me, can you not?"

"Koriand'r, please!" screeched the Sky Witch. Her tentacles had disappeared and the black smoke surrounding her had gone. Before the star was a kneeling girl, looking up at Koriand'r, large blue eyes pleading with her to stop everything. "Please."

"Raven," Koriand'r said. "Please."

Raven looked at Koriand'r and seemed to sense the deep longing in her friend. She approached the star. "Okay. I'll do it for you."

…

There were three conditions. One: she could never speak of her transformation with anyone, not now not ever. Two: she had to discard her old name. Her name was in the language of the stars. If she wanted to become human, she had to adopt a name that was in the human tongue. Raven helped her choose a rough translation of her original name – Starfire. And three: she had to receive love from another human.

"Love?" repeated Starfire. "How do I get love?"

"You'll learn," Raven responded, not looking at the star. "Anything will do. Any symbol of love. A kiss would be best."

"A kiss," Starfire echoed. A kiss. It sounded so simple and sweet. Surely something so simple would be difficult to get. "I'll get a kiss from that boy." She had already explained to Raven what had happened, why she needed to turn into a human as quickly as possible. Her friend had only nodded numbly. Starfire wondered if she was really listening.

The transformation was just as painful as Raven had said. It wasn't at all like turning into a firefly. Turning into a firefly only had Starfire compress all of her heat and energy into one tiny orb. Turning human required her to cool down remarkably. Starfire was sure she would never feel warm again. Her gaseous form stretched in such a painful way, forming long slender limbs. She held in her screams as she grew all of these human appendages. She had asked for this. She would endure the pain.

By the time the transformation had finished, Starfire's eyelids were heavy and the last thing she remembered was Raven whispering, "Good luck," as she fell from the night sky.

…

She woke up feeling cold, the wind licking her face. Koriand'r – no, it was Starfire now – never knew that humans were so cold inside. She shivered. The girl gathered her dress around her, holding every part of herself as close as she could so she wouldn't lose any heat.

She heard someone clucking her tongue and soft footsteps against the sand approaching her. Starfire looked around and saw another girl coming her way. The girl didn't look like a normal human girl. Instead, she shared the same magical aura as Raven had. Not only did this girl share the same gray skin as the Sky Witch, but she also had a similar mysterious gleam in her eye. However, that's where the similarities stopped. The girl's bright pink hair swooped into two horns at the top of her head. A permanent pink blush seemed to dust her cheeks. Perhaps the strangest things about her though were her eyes. They were large, pink, luminous, and looked remarkably like the eyes of a cat. When the girl saw Starfire's expression, confused and somewhat terrified, a large grin stretched across her face. Starfire didn't know whether or not the smile was supposed to be comforting but it only sent chills up her spine.

"Well, aren't you a hot mess?" the mystical girl said, observing the pile of glass surrounding Starfire. She snapped and a bright pink spark sprung from her fingers. The shards immediately dissolved back into the sand like they were never there at all. "You're Starfire, aren't you?" She held out a hand for Starfire to take.

Starfire nodded, grabbing onto the extended hand that the girl had offered. "Who are you?"

"I'm your guide in this crazy, mad world," the girl responded, shrugging as if this weren't a big deal. "But you can just call me Jinx."

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 **A/N:** Special shout-out to juliette01 and magicmadnessheavensin for being so incredibly sweet! Your reviews were very lovely. I'd also like to thank everyone who favorited and/or followed my fic. I'll probably have the next chapter up some time in December after my quarter is over. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Higher Stakes

" _Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them."_

 _-Albert Einstein_

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Jinx lounged around lazily on a chaise in her house, her legs draped off of the side with her arms dangling off the other. "You know, Starfire, you're quite the peculiar one." She sat up, crossing her legs and putting a finger on her chin to study the girl sitting on the bed across from her. "On earth humans make wishes on stars. A star wishing to be a human, now that's something different. Don't see that everyday." The witch yawned.

Starfire smiled shyly at the witch. "Perhaps I was always meant to be a human." She was surprised at how talkative the sorceress was, though she probably shouldn't have assumed that all witches were as taciturn as her friend Raven. While Raven was all business with little patience for more leisurely conversations, Jinx had started off by criticizing Starfire's fashion sense. ("She seriously sent you in _that?_ You look like you're wearing a potato sack," the pink-haired witch smirked when she had fully taken in Starfire. She then spent the rest of the night finding an outfit she deemed suitable for Starfire.)

While Raven's dwelling only held the bare essentials and, Starfire had to confess, was kind of gloomy because of the dark color palette of the rooms. Jinx's tiny apartment, a small house caved into the side of a cliff by the sea, was cozy and heavily decorated by so many trinkets and decorations that Starfire felt she spent a good hour alone just looking curiously at the witch's many possessions. She wondered how long the witch had lived on earth to have accumulated so much paraphernalia.

"A guy, right?" Jinx asked, walking over to where Starfire sat and squeezed in next to her on the small couch. A wide grin spread across her face as she waited for Starfire to answer.

Her face flushed and Starfire bit the inside of her cheek. "That is not the entire reason," she stammered, playing with her long red hair. "He is part of the reason, but that is not exactly why I wanted to become a part of this world." Starfire sighed and tucked her knees under her chin, looking dreamily across the dimly lit room. "This world is just so beautiful to me. I want to see everything."

The witch blinked her pink cat eyes at the girl and frowned. Jinx got up from her seat and stretched. Starfire could tell from her face that the sorceress had completely lost interest in the conversation. "This world isn't all that great," she said dismissively, waving a hand around. She glanced back at Starfire. "But you need a kiss to stabilize your current form, right? Let's get it done quickly, why don't we? Who's the lucky guy?"

Starfire was rather taken aback by her new acquaintance's sudden change in behavior. Perhaps she wasn't as friendly as she had initially appeared. "I met him when I was here last," Starfire explained. She remembered his kind eyes, staring across the cliff and looking for something. "He was so lonely, but he was so nice. Oh, Jinx, he is really quite beautiful."

"He had to be if you were willing to leave your whole world for him," the sorceress said, but her smirk looked wilted to the star. Despite the magical girl's attempts to act carefree and unbothered by everything, there seemed to be a hidden weight that tugged at the corners of her lips and dulled the shine in her pink eyes. Starfire remembered seeing that very same look in lonely souls who gazed out at the stars, a nearly empty bottle of spirits in hand. The beverages were called spirits, Raven had explained to her once when they were passing a place where humans drank at night called a "tavern," because they were supposed to lift a person's spirits, but Starfire had only ever seen them drink away and try to forget everything only to fail miserably each time. She wondered what Jinx wanted to forget but decided against asking.

She looked hesitantly at the witch beside her. "Do you think he remembers me?" Starfire twirled a fiery red lock around her finger and bit her lip nervously. She was but an insignificant bug at the time, but that night had seemed so momentous to her. Was it too much to hope that the boy had any inkling of how important that moment was as well?

Pink eyes flickered over lazily to where Starfire sat but she was facing forward so the star could only see her side profile. "Do you remember what he looks like?" she asked quietly.

Starfire could picture the boy perfectly in her mind, his hair as dark as the night sky, his blue eyes that were searching for something, his pale skin. "Everything," she breathed.

Jinx brushed her bangs out of her face and turned to face the star. She stretched out her hand and cradled Starfire's chin in her pale gray hands. They felt like ice against Starfire's skin and the star resisted the urge to shudder and shrink away from the witch. "Let me see," Jinx murmured, leaning forward so their foreheads touched.

At the contact, the memory of the boy amplified in Starfire's mind. The colors were more vivid and she could feel the ghost of his breath on her wings like she had that night. The sudden sharpness to all of her memories made her let out a small gasp and when Jinx let go, removing her forehead from the star's, and the vision faded.

"The prince." Jinx's mouth formed a surprised "O" and she was too stunned for a moment to mask her shock.

"Prince?"

The sorceress blinked rapidly and her lips moved silently like she was talking to herself. Once she remembered the star beside her, her usual easy smile returned but it was strained, more so than it usually was. "It's a title. Like you were the star that could have inherited the galaxy if you so wished. He's a prince, a boy who inherits Gotham – that's the kingdom we reside in right now. A 'special' human, if you will," Jinx answered, but her mind seemed elsewhere and her eyes began to wander. "The prince, huh. You really know how to pick them, don't you?" She stood up and yawned, stretching her arms over her head. Her mannerisms reminded Starfire of the cats she would see lazily walking about the villages she used to visit, affectionate one moment and unexpected cold and uncaring the next. Now the witch looked like she couldn't care less about the star's mission.

"Where are you going?" Starfire asked.

Jinx had shuffled off towards a cupboard and pulled out a thin blanket. "Sleep. You should get some rest too. Stars can stay awake for thousands of years. Humans? They need rest." She tossed the blanket at Starfire and the star caught it in her hands, the fabric cool to the touch. The witch leaned against the counter and studied Starfire's face carefully from across the room. "Besides, don't you want to be reunited with that boy of yours as soon as possible?"

She wrapped the blanket, heavily adorned with beads that clinked with every small movement, around her shoulders and thanked the pink-haired enchantress. "And give him a kiss," she added. She pressed her fingers lightly against her lips and wondered how the boy's mouth would feel against her own.

Jinx turned away, her face expressionless, but was stopped with her foot halfway through the door when a query passed through Starfire's lips.

"Have you ever had a kiss, Jinx?" she asked curiously. The witch had lived on earth a very long time, she reasoned. She probably had experience with these types of things.

The sorceress stood motionless in the doorway and didn't look back when she responded. Her hand gripped the doorframe, her knuckles white. "It was a long time ago," she said after a long silence. "I don't remember it very much anymore." She stood there for a moment, waiting for a follow up question or maybe just thinking, and then left, her steps barely making a step on the wooden floor.

Starfire wondered if she had somehow angered Jinx with her simple question, but decided not to dwell on it too much. Maybe it was just in a witch's nature to be cold and silent at times. At any rate, Jinx didn't seem like she wanted to be prodded on the subject and Starfire would be sure not to bring it up anymore. She would apologize for it in the morning, she decided right before she shut her eyes and let sleep take her.

xxxxx

She awoke to the sound of a raised voice. It sounded like someone was arguing, crying almost. Starfire fumbled through the darkness, following the voice. It sounded like Jinx was having a conversation with someone, but Starfire couldn't possibly imagine whom. There had only been her and Jinx when she fell asleep. Curious, she stepped closer and saw the dark silhouette of Jinx dimly lit by a flickering blue light. The sorceress was deep in conversation with someone in the mirror.

"…sent her here despite knowing I would totally be against it," Jinx was growling, her voice gruff. Starfire was surprised to see the sorceress swiping away at her eyes. Those couldn't possible be tears, could they? "You didn't even tell her everything, did you? She doesn't deserve to be kept in the dark."

A muffled voice attempted to respond but was cut off angrily by Jinx.

"I know I owe you, but this is asking too much of me," the girl hissed.

Starfire dared to lean farther out of the doorframe to get a better view. Jinx's back was turned to her but she couldn't quite make out the figure in the mirror. Feeling that it would be rude to eavesdrop, Starfire stepped out from her hiding place and cleared her throat. "Jinx," she said softly then repeated a little bit louder, "Jinx."

Startled, the witch whirled around and the figure in her looking glass faded into nothing. "Starfire," Jinx said, blinking her large pink eyes. "You're awake."

"You were discussing something quite loudly with someone," Starfire explained, gesturing towards the mirror behind the witch.

"Ah, yes. I was talking about something with…someone." She glanced quickly behind her and realized that the person she was previously talking with was gone and she let out a growl. "That bitch."

"Bitch?" Starfire repeated.

Her cheeks flushed pink and Jinx walked hurriedly towards Starfire and ushered her back to the couch in the living room where the couch had been transformed into a makeshift bed. "Don't repeat that," she mumbled embarrassed, casting her eyes downward. "I'm just displeased because of some new…information that has come up."

"To whom were you speaking?" Starfire inquired. She settled on the couch but didn't bother with the blanket that Jinx had provided with her with. "You sounded quite displeased. Please, Jinx, if there is anything that you would like to confide in me, I would not mind. You have done so much for me."

Her new companion's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Confide in you?"

Starfire put a hand on her chest and smiled at the girl across from her. "Of course! Whenever I felt something troublesome weighing down on me, I found it quite helpful to tell my dear friend Raven everything that worried me and it was like everything was well again."

"Raven is the last person I wanted to talk about," Jinx muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Did you have a quarrel?" Starfire asked. "Is that who you were speaking to in the mirror?"

Jinx sighed and made a move to turn away from the star but thought better of it. "Yes, that's who I was talking to in the mirror," Jinx confessed. She took a seat where Starfire's feet lay, a grimace on her face. "Starfire, did Raven ever mention any…conditions when you went into this contract?"

"Ah, this wish?" Starfire asked. She clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. It was nice that Jinx was opening up to her already. Despite being friends with Raven for years and years, it had taken forever for Starfire to weed out any personal information from the Sky Witch. "There were three. I can never tell anyone about my wish. I must switch my true name for this human one. And I must receive a kiss."

Jinx harrumphed. She was biting the inside of her cheek and Starfire could tell that something was weighing heavily on her mind by the way her jaw tensed. She tapped a slim gray finger on her arm and pursed her lips.

"Jinx?"

She whipped her head towards the star. "Did she tell you about the time?" she asked her.

Starfire's smile faltered. She didn't like the angry flash in Jinx's eyes. It seemed as though she had already done something to upset her host and helper. "No," she responded timidly. She was about to offer an apology for whatever she did but Jinx spoke much too quickly for Starfire to even open her mouth.

"Contracts, such as yours, always have a time limit. Magic has constraints. It can only last so long." She gazed at the flames dying off in the fireplace. "It's sad, but that's how it works. I don't know why that stupid Sky Witch never told you about it before but it's incredibly important."

"What happens when it wears off?" she asked hesitantly. Starfire wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Jinx eyed the star warily. "It's different for everyone," she responded quietly.

"What will happen to me?" Starfire asked, holding her gaze steady with Jinx.

The pink eyes looked away first. "You'll burn out," she said bitterly. "You're still technically in a transition state. Your original star form isn't compatible with your human body. You would burn out without that kiss to stabilize it."

Starfire's eyes widened in horror as she imagined her beautiful human form going up in flames and reduced to a pile of black ashes. "I see," she whispered, still horrified. She let her eyes drop. She now understood why Jinx was reluctant to bring up the news with her, why Raven withheld the information from her in the first place. "How many days do I have?"

"Five."

"Five," Starfire repeated. It wasn't much, but still…she had come so far just to be here and she would be damned if she let the short amount of time intimidate her from even trying to sustain her human body.

"Starfire," Jinx said, interrupting the star's thoughts. "I'm sorry."

Starfire reached over and put her hand over Jinx's. "Do not apologize, friend," Starfire said earnestly. She gave the surprised witch a smile. "I understand why you wished to keep this information hidden from me and I am very thankful that you shared it with me. You are truly a kind person. But do not be angered at our friend Raven either, for I am sure that the same thoughts raced in her mind as well."

"You're not upset in the least bit?" Jinx asked quizzically.

Starfire shook her head. "Not at all," she assured her, giving her friend's hand a nice pat. "Nothing could have stopped me from making this decision." She was sure of it now, especially now that she knew it was true. She really had given up everything just to see that boy again and walk the earth on her own feet, experience the beautiful world as a human as she had always wished.

"Well then," Jinx said, her hand slipping out from under Starfire's as she stood up and brushed herself off. Her expression was no longer that of sadness or despair, instead a look of utter confidence had replaced it and her familiar smile had once again resurfaced. "Better get to sleep then, Starfire, because we have some serious work to do within the next couple of days. I'm not going to let this star burn out."

In spite of the bad news, Starfire couldn't help but smile at the small flicker of hope that even Jinx had. She had a chance, she thought, at being a human and even if she didn't, at least she would have the experience of being on this beautiful planet for at least a short while. She wouldn't trade that for anything, she decided as she drifted off to sleep, a smile on her face.

* * *

 _A/N: Sorry for the late update! Some stuff came up but that's no excuse. I don't know how regularly I'll update but I try to aim for once a month. That might not be likely because my quarter looks pretty hectic, but I can always try, hahaha. I clearly have serious commitment issues when it comes to writing. Anyway, thank you for the reviews/follows/favorites and being supportive of this story so far! (What to expect next: a star meeting a handsome prince.)_

 _Why are chapter names so hard to come up with?_


	4. Prince Grayson

**A/N:** I actually wrote this a while ago but never published it because posting stuff makes me so nervous. But I really hope you guys enjoy it. I'll try to be more frequent with new chapters but it's going to be difficult throughout the school year because university life is killing me. I can literally feel my life shortening whenever I step into a classroom. It's horrid.

* * *

" _From which stars have we fallen to meet each other here?"_

 _Friedrich Nietzche_

* * *

Starfire awoke to the pitter-patter of rain outside and the soft padding of footsteps. Her eyes flicked open. A gray cat sat on the rug staring, blinking its large, pink eyes at her. Seeing that the star was awake, the cat meowed and Starfire's eyes widened in awe as she watched the cat's body stretch and transform into the sorceress that had offered Starfire assistance. She had seen Raven transform from her bird form into her true form plenty of times, but this was the first time she had seen anyone else perform the same sort of magic.

Yawning, Jinx covered her mouth and glanced at the star from the corner of her eye. "Well, I hope you had a good sleep, Starfire," she said, stretching. Even her movements reminded Starfire of a cat despite the fact that the witch was no longer in her feline form. "We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of days."

"Where were you just now?" Starfire asked.

Jinx shrugged and turned her back on the star. "Getting everything ready," she replied. The sorceress snapped her fingers and a blue flame lit up in the fireplace. It crackled pleasantly, giving off a warm glow, and Jinx gave a satisfied hum. "You'll need to eat now. You're probably feeling hungry. Stars never have to eat but humans do."

"Hungry," Starfire repeated, sitting up to watch the witch work her magic. There was rather a hollow feeling in her belly. A low rumble came from her belly and she squeaked in surprise, her hands flying to her stomach.

Jinx looked back and smirked. "Yep, you're definitely hungry." She snapped her fingers and a fish dropped onto the sizzling pan. The sorceress jumped back a bit, trying to avoid the hot oil that splashed up. She grumbled something about hating cooking but then erased her frown when she saw Starfire's startled look. "Sorry, I don't normally cook, so this isn't going to be especially great or anything."

"Do not apologize!" Starfire said, rising up to walk over and put a hand on her new friend's shoulder. "You are kind for offering to help me at all. Housing me, feeding me, being my friend. You are doing so much more than I deserve."

Jinx blinked, mouth slightly open, and her cheeks were turning the slightest hint of pink. She quickly shrugged and turned her attention to the fish frying in the pan. "It's not that big of a deal," she mumbled. "Just a little favor I owe Raven." She sprinkled some herbs, salt, and pepper onto the fish and nodded when she heard a satisfied hiss.

Starfire thought about the gloomy Sky Witch, someone she had always considered a friend, and wondered if she should ask her new acquaintance the question that was looming in the back of her mind. Deciding that she had nothing to lose, she went for it. "Jinx, why did Raven not tell me of the time limit I had herself?"

Jinx gave a low whistle and the flame in the stove flickered out. "Because she didn't want to," she answered simply. The whole time she didn't meet Starfire's gaze. The sorceress took out a plate from a cupboard and tentatively slid the fish onto it. She gave a sigh of relief when it was done and went on to cut a lemon into quarters, placing one on the side of the fish. Starfire noticed that she did all of this by hand and wondered for a brief second if it was because cooking and magic didn't mix very well or if Jinx was more confident in her cooking when she did everything manually. "If I know Raven, she probably tried to convince you not to go through with it."

A memory of Raven flashed in Starfire's mind. She remembered Raven's red eyes, burning like hot and angry embers, and the smoky black tentacles creeping out from under her cloak. "She was very…angered by my request," Starfire said. She sat down at the table where Jinx had placed the meal. The witch hadn't set a place for herself so Starfire assumed that witches probably didn't need to eat like humans did. The star picked up the fork and knife and, mimicking the same actions she saw humans make whenever she watched them eat dinner, successfully speared a chunk of meat on her fork and daintily placed it in her mouth.

Jinx took a seat across from the star, a twisted smile on her face. "Angry is a light way to put it. She was probably livid. I don't blame her. I'd be pretty mad myself if I couldn't stop a friend from making a wish with such high risks." She tapped her slender fingers on the table and observed Starfire chew and swallow. Jinx nodded at the fish that Starfire was busy eating and asked, "How is it?"

"Oh! It is…" Starfire wracked her brain in an attempt to find a suitable word to describe the taste of the dish without offending the witch. It was, truthfully, quite plain despite the seasoning Jinx had put in and, while the exterior was crunchy, just turned into bland mush after chewing it for a while.

Jinx must have read the look on Starfire's face and shrugged, laughing it off. "Not that good? That's fine. My magic skills are far better, so you needn't worry. That's what's important anyway." In the blink of an eye her smile disappeared and she appeared serious once more. "I doubt I'll be able to get a hold of Raven anytime soon, but if I do I'll tell her to talk to you." She was about to excuse herself when the star spoke up.

"Wait. I do not want to force Raven to speak with me if she does not wish it," Starfire said, putting down her fork. "However, will you please tell her that I do not blame her for anything? It is my wish and I fully accept all of the consequences that come with it, however bad they may be. Tell her…tell her that it is not her fault. And that I thank her for being my dearest friend."

Jinx opened her mouth as if she was about to protest but paused and gave the star a small smile. "Alright. I'll be sure to tell her that." She stood up from the table and stretched. "I need to check a few things before we head out to the castle, but there's a change of clothes that you should change into after you're done eating." She pointed to a pile of folded clothes sitting on the arm of the couch. "Make sure to change into those once you're done. We're leaving soon. I hope you don't mind walking."

xxxxx

Walking, as it turned out, was really tiring. It was gravity, Jinx explained later, that kept humans tethered to the ground. Back in space, Starfire – no, it was Koriand'r – could float along as she pleased and traveling was effortless. Now her feet were aching and she was feeling a little breathless. To make matters worse, the ground was muddy, and she was soaked because the rain that was coming down. Well, sprinkling actually. Jinx had warned Starfire about the gloomy weather (aftereffects of a storm that she had conjured the night before) as well as the long road she'd have to travel just to get to the Prince's castle. She wouldn't complain though. Why would she when her friends had done so much for her? She could endure a little pain and drizzling for a bit.

She smiled at the cat in her arms and held her closer, hunching over so that the furry animal wouldn't get wet. The cat, which was snoozing quite heavily in her arms, was actually Jinx's feline form. After Starfire had changed into the gown Jinx had laid out on the couch (a dress that had once been gorgeous but was now ragged and torn, as if it had been washed up on the beach after a storm), Jinx had insisted upon accompanying Starfire on her journey to the castle. Funnily enough, the witch pretty much knocked out after giving Starfire the necessary information, leaving the star to carry the dozing cat barefoot in the rain to the castle. It was the least she could do for the sorceress and it wasn't like she was very heavy as a cat anyway.

Starfire thought of perhaps thanking the witch when she woke up but wondered if it would be necessary. She tried to thank the witch for her services before – for the food, the clothes, being a guide in the human world – but the witch wouldn't hear any of it. Jinx would only wave her hand, telling her that she was only paying off a favor to the Sky Witch and that the thanks, although appreciated, wasn't needed. Besides, she'd probably give Starfire a strange look if the star thanked her for forcing her to walk all the way to the castle in this weather. But this whole experience was exhilarating to the star. She loved the way the raindrops felt on her face, all cold and wet. It was refreshing. Back when she was a star, there was no change in weather. Water falling from the sky? This world got more amazing the longer she stayed. She wasn't even cold despite her worn dress. Jinx had drowsily explained that Starfire would probably never feel cold until she was able to stabilize her human form. Because she was still part star, her body would run hotter than normal humans. Oh, how she couldn't wait to be truly human…

Strangely enough, she even liked the squish of the mud beneath her feet. Perhaps she'd be tired of it later once it stopped raining and she found it caked between her toes. For now, she enjoyed how soft and cold it was. She found it much nicer than the sand, which was grainy and stuck to her toes even after she had thought she washed it all out.

Starfire was now at the foot of the hill and gazed at the top where the castle sat. Despite the rain, she could make it out quite easily. It was gargantuan, with spiraling towers that made her head spin and the tallest walls she had ever seen. The castle was pure white and looked like it was glowing even though there was hardly any sunlight because of the dark clouds that covered the sky. She imagined her prince roaming through the halls, looking as gallant as ever, and bit her lip. Was it too soon to think about seeing him? She was getting so giddy. She had half a mind to wake Jinx up just so she could see the castle too but decided against it lest she come off as rude for disturbing the witch's slumber. Starfire took a few more minutes to admire the castle before resuming her journey.

She had only walked for about ten minutes, thinking wistfully about how the route she had taken hadn't allowed her to go through the village (because it would take too long, Jinx said while ignoring Starfire's begging, and the star needed every minute she could get), when she heard heavy clomping behind her and, being the curious star she was, turned around to see what it was.

Coming up the hill towards her was a hooded stranger atop a horse. She wondered if he was a guard or an important castle worker but he dressed quite plainly. He stopped his horse, a chocolate-brown mare with an inky black mane, right next to Starfire. The stranger pulled his hood down, revealing a freckled face and hair that was just as red as hers. She'd never seen a human with red hair before and, after assuming her current form, just immediately assumed that her own hair was scarlet because of her origins as a star. She opened her mouth to ask him if he, too, was a star at first but he spoke before she could. "May I ask what a pretty lady like you is doing in such miserable weather, m'lady?" he inquired.

Starfire studied his face. His face was pale with freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks like stars across a night sky. His face was thin and pointed, but he had a friendly smile. A bit toothy, maybe, but it was nice nonetheless. Ultimately it was his eyes that got her to trust him. They were blue, a light blue like the ocean on a calm day, and crinkled at the edges when he smiled at her. They were friendly.

"I am Princess Starfire of Tamaran," she said, raising her voice so it could be heard above the rain. She hoped she had remembered everything Jinx had told her to say if anyone dare ask her who she was. "The storm last night, the ship I was traveling on got caught in it and it started sinking. I washed up on the beach – my cat and I, that is - and thought I might be able to seek help if I could reach the castle."

"Tamaran?" he repeated. His brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry, m'lday, but I don't seem to recall a kingdom by the name."

Starfire tensed up and bit her lip. It was true that Tamaran was a kingdom, but that was the name of the galaxy that she had once been a part of when she was a star. Jinx had told her a delusion charm would make everyone think Tamaran was an actual kingdom on earth, but perhaps she had forgotten? "I…"

The cat in her arms yawned and, after taking a look at the stranger before them, meowed.

The boy looked as if he was in a daze for a bit before a wide smile spread across his face. "Ah, Tamaran! Of course!" he exclaimed, sliding off of his horse. Now that he was standing before her, Starfire could see he was quite tall, although only a few inches taller than her. "Sorry, Princess Starfire. It must have slipped my mind for a bit."

"It is quite alright," she assured him, feeling relieved that Jinx's enchantment had worked. She smiled down at the cat in her arms happily, making a mental note to thank the witch later.

"If you will have me, I will gladly accompany you and your lovely cat to the castle," he said, bowing. He straightened up and gave her another bright grin. "I'm Wallace West, by the way. Most just call me Wally though. I'm the royal messenger."

Starfire gave him a smile of her own. "It is very nice meeting you, Sir Wally. I think you for your assistance. You are very kind."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Just Wally, Your Royal Highness. I'm not a knight or anyone of importance so there's no need for a title in front of my name." The boy's face was flushed now, his cheeks a bright red that almost matched his hair.

"Oh, then you must call me Starfire!" she said cheerfully, delighted to have found another kind soul.

His eyes widened and he seemed to struggle between calling her by her proper title or following her orders. Finally, he gulped and said, "It would be an honor to accompany you to the castle…Starfire."

He didn't say anything else and Starfire, not knowing what else to do, tentatively walked towards his horse. "This…horse of yours," she said, struggling to remember what the creature was called. She had seen this animal around a handful of times but was more familiar with cats and dogs that roamed the villages. "It is quite lovely."

Wally seemed to snap out of his shock at being treated so familiarly by a person of royal blood and, straightening up, he cleared his throat "Ay, yes," he said. "She's a beauty and a smooth, fast ride to boot." Wally stroked his horse with one hand and offered his other one to Starfire.

Instead of giving him her hand, she gently transferred Jinx into his arms. He was surprised but still took the sleeping feline from her, trying his best not to wake her. "Thank you," she mouthed. Getting on the horse was much easier than she thought it would be. All she had to do was hook her foot into the loops hanging from the side of the saddle and hoist herself up. Her height probably had something to do with how easily she was able to mount the horse. She was quite pleased with herself for being able to do all of that, even if it might be considered simple in the human world.

Wally quickly followed suit, first giving Jinx back to Starfire before he began to mount, and took his seat right in front of Starfire. "Hang on tight, m'lady," he said, giving her a cheeky grin. "It's best we get out of this rain as quick as we can. Wouldn't want you to get sick now."

Despite his initial reluctance to be anything less than formal when speaking with the princess, the messenger warmed up to her fairly quickly. He answered all of her curious questions, raising his voice so he could be heard above the rain. Jinx was probably annoyed at the additional noise, but Starfire was grateful for such friendly company. He told her all about the kingdom ("Gotham weather isn't usually like this. It's actually, er, well I'll admit that it's pretty dreary most of the time in terms of weather, but the king is very just and we're more prosperous each year. The citizens are very civil as well. Just imagine how excited everyone'll be when they hear a princess has come visit from another kingdom! You'll be welcomed with open arms, Starfire, I can assure you."), the king and queen ("We actually only have a king right now, King Bruce, and he's a bit of a tough guy but he's not all that bad. I'm sure he'll be understanding of your situation and try to get you back home as soon as possible."), and, of course, the prince ("Prince Grayson's not actually Gotham's prince. He's from Bludhaven, but his uncle Bruce is taking him under his wing to show him how to be a proper ruler. I'm actually the prince's best mate, but don't let anyone tell you that. They don't want people knowing he's friends with a royal servant. He's a great mate though, that guy."). She hadn't even noticed the time passing at all and was surprised by how seemingly quick the trip to the castle was.

"I'll see to it that an appointment is made with the king as soon as possible, Starfire," Wally said, already comfortable with addressing the star by her desired name. He gave her a hand and helped her off of his horse.

"Thank you," she said, gracing him with a smile. "I am most grateful, Wally."

He laughed as he led his horse back into the pen. "It is the very least I can do for you, Princess." Wally gave his horse a quick pat on the snout, fed it a carrot stick from his pocket, and shut door of the pen behind him as he left. He offered an arm to the star and she reached out to take it when a loud voice startled her.

"Wallace West!" a man boomed.

Wally grimaced and turned around to face a very angry but polished-looking man in a black suit. "Ah, Gerard, how are you doing on this fine day?" Wally said, stepping in front of Starfire. His tone was as cheerful as ever but she could tell from his body language that he was tense.

"Smuggling another girl into the castle are you, West?" Gerard sneered, eyeing the star with disgust. "We have enough riffraff without you dragging every pretty girl you see into the castle!"

"She's not just any girl!" Wally protested. "She's Princess Starfire of the kingdom Tamaran. Her ship got wrecked in the storm and she washed ashore here. I'm bringing her to the king so he can provide her the aid she needs to get back."

Gerard snorted. "Your lies are getting creative, West, I'll give you that. You expect me to believe this girl is a princess?" He sniffed disdainfully at Starfire, clearly noting her ruined dress which, truthfully, barely resembled a dress and looked more like rags at this point despite Jinx's claims earlier that morning that it would be more believable garb for a princes. "Can you even tell me where this 'Tamaran' kingdom lies?"

"I…" Wally furrowed his brow, trying to wrack his brain for the kingdom's location. He turned to Starfire, a look of complete confusion on his face. "Starfire, where's Tamaran?"

Starfire took a step back, not sure of what she should say. She looked down at the cat in her arms and shook her awake. "Jinx! Jinx!" she hissed. "I am in dire need of your assistance."

The witch was only barely waking when Gerard shoved Wally aside, reaching for Starfire's arm. "Let me take her to the king, West, so I can finally prove you're smuggling commoners into the kingdom for fun. Perhaps now he'll finally fire you and actually get someone competent to deliver royal messages."

"Aaargh!" Wally pulled Gerard away with such force that the man fell to the ground. Grabbing Jinx from Starfire's arms and threw the cat at Gerard's face. Startled, Jinx screeched and immediately latched onto Gerard's face with her claws. Before Starfire could run to Jinx's help, Wally grabbed her by the wrist and sprinted with her outside of the stables, leading her to the back entrance of the castle.

"Where are we going?" she shouted.

"Into the castle," he panted as he thrust the door open. "I'm very sorry about your cat but I will make sure I'll find her again. I'm excellent with animals."

"Is he going to hurt her?" Starfire asked worriedly, the angry face of Gerard flashing through her mind.

Wally gave a forced laugh. "He's more interested in hurting me. He couldn't give half a damn about your cat. She's probably safe and sound although a bit startled but she'll hate me forever now." He slowed his pace a bit, taking note of Starfire's more ragged breathing and her long skirts, and led her up the stairs. Some servants paused whatever they were doing to spare them an amused glance, but they must have been used to Wally getting into scrapes because none of them did very much aside from stare. "I can't apologize enough for this, Princess."

"I'm just very worried about Jinx," Starfire said, letting out a small yelp when Wally pulled her around a corner. "Wally, where are we going?"

"Trying to remember a room that's fairly empty most of the time," he muttered.

"Hey, Wally!" a voice hissed. The two redheads turned to see a raven-haired boy gesturing for them to follow him into a room.

Grinning, Wally pulls Starfire into the room, shutting the door behind them. From what Starfire could tell from the dark, it was a bedchamber of some sort. It doesn't look like it was used very much because the dresser she happened to cower against was covered in dust. It was probably one of many chambers reserved for guests if they ever came about.

The messenger leaned against the door, breathing a sigh of relief. "Dick, you are a savior."

Wally's friend smirked. "Anger Gerard again, did you?"

"Excuse me," Starfire said, interrupting their banter. "Who is this, Wally?"

"That's my best mate," Wally beamed.

After properly giving her full attention to Wally's friend, Starfire realized that she knew his name. He appeared to have aged since the last time she saw him, just as Raven had predicted before Starfire's transformation, but there was no forgetting those eyes – beautiful, deep, and the same blue she remembered from that night that had only been only a few days ago for her. "Prince Grayson," the boy said, holding out a hand for Starfire to shake. "Happy to be of service, my lady."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for all of the support so far! You can always check my fanfic tumblr out and shoot questions at me if you want to know how progress is going. It's: pickalilywrites tumblr com (with periods between the spaces). Please try to not send me asks or reviews that say "please update." I will most likely already be trying to do that and it just stresses me out even more.

Aiming for another chapter to be out during my winter break at the very latest so cross your fingers for that!


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